Knot Garden work

I am having the most delightful time figuring out a knot garden
(English) at Colonial Williamsburg for french knot work. I have got it
down now to 3 x 3 inches so one more downsizing should work. Christine
Harris has gotten me on a new kick. In her writings she has suggested
that if you are an experienced needleworker, you can get these 2x2 inch
pieces down to 15 hours. I will keep track and report how long it
takes ! She has suggested a size 10 crewel needle to do the work. I
have not researched that yet. Is that tiny?

Wait wait isn't a crewel needle just another name for an embroidery
needle? It just would not be called "sharps" right?

wrote in message
oups.com...
Wait wait isn't a crewel needle just another name for an embroidery
needle? It just would not be called "sharps" right?

I found this site
http://www.ehow.com/how_5971_buy-emb...y-needles.html

It says there are three types of embroidery needle - crewel, chenille, and
tapestry, so you are right... a crewel needle is definately an embroidery
needle.

Actually, for embroidery, you also work with sharps and betweens.

The term "crewel" and "embroidery" are two words for the same needle. A
needle with an oval eye. A No. 10 crewel is the same diameter and
length as a No. 10 sharp. Only difference is the eye. A sharp's eye is
small and round.

I frequently use sharp needles for embroidery. One strand fits nicely
in a No. 10 sharp. Betweens size 7 and 9 are employed for padded whitework.

Chenilles are the sharp cousins of tapestry. Same needle except for the
point. Tapestry's are blunt while chenilles are sharp.

Dianne

L wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

Wait wait isn't a crewel needle just another name for an embroidery
needle? It just would not be called "sharps" right?


I found this site
http://www.ehow.com/how_5971_buy-emb...y-needles.html

It says there are three types of embroidery needle - crewel, chenille, and
tapestry, so you are right... a crewel needle is definately an embroidery
needle.

She went on and on about how it might be a problem to use a crewel size
10 needle and I just pulled one out of my stash and it absolutely huge
compared with the size 28's I am using on the silk work right now. She
had me wonder there for a minute about doing French knots on something
smaller than I was used to and whew~~ this looks huge !

I'm confused. Size 10 crewels are not huge. They're finer than a 28
tapestry. They are longer, but finer.

French knots: some people prefer a milliner needle. If you think a
size 10 crewel is huge (long), a milliner is the same fineness but much
longer, with a tiny round eye.

I don't know what type of ground you are working, but if it's a closely
woven fabric, then a No. 10 crewel or sharp is the appropriate needle.
If the ground is countable, then a 28 would work, unless you are
piercing the ground threads.

Tapestry needles are meant to be used to pick up (work around) ground
threads - not pierce them. It helps prevent the piercing because of
their blunt ends. But I also do counted work with sharp points on fine
grounds because the point helps me separate ground threads when counting.

Dianne

wrote:
She went on and on about how it might be a problem to use a crewel size
10 needle and I just pulled one out of my stash and it absolutely huge
compared with the size 28's I am using on the silk work right now. She
had me wonder there for a minute about doing French knots on something
smaller than I was used to and whew~~ this looks huge !


--
"The Journal of Needlework" - The E-zine for All Needleworkers
http://journal.heritageshoppe.com

Oh thank you for telling me Dianne. My package says 5-10 embroidery on
it and I assumed it was the finest in there. I guess I best make a
trip for some then.

wrote:
Oh thank you for telling me Dianne. My package says 5-10 embroidery on
it and I assumed it was the finest in there. I guess I best make a
trip for some then.


Size 5 will be the thickest and longest, size 10 will be the
finest/shortest. There's not a huge difference between a 5 and a 10,
but there IS a difference.

If you're using one strand of floss, a size 10 sharp (or even an 8) will
work just fine for you rather than an embroidery/crewel. In fact, I
don't know why they use the term "crewel" for these needles. Look at
the Number 10's you have and imagine threading a piece of crewel wool
through that eye!

As an aside: We can get hung up on needle sizes. I often don't use
what someone says to use. I use what's handy to use. There's an EGA
certified teacher who swears no one should use less than a size 24
tapestry for counted work no matter the fabric count. But different
people have different types of motor skills and hand sizes. So the
thing to keep in mind with needles: the eye, once threaded, should have
about 30 - 40% space left for the thread to comfortably fit. Too much
room and you'll be fighting to keep it threaded. Too little room and
the thread gets ravaged. I have a customer who uses miliners for
quilting because she has large hands. What you read is simply
"guidelines", not absolutes. Use what works for you - and the thread.

Dianne
--
"The Journal of Needlework" - The E-zine for All Needleworkers
http://journal.heritageshoppe.com

In general I don't even keep my needles sorted by size. I do set aside
the ones with finer eyes that will fit through petite seed beads. I
also have a couple really large needles that I use for stitching with
six strands on afghan fabric. The sharp needles are in my mending box
and the blunt needles are in old medicine bottles (child-resistant lids)
in my crafting tubs.

Dianne Lewandowski wrote:
As an aside: We can get hung up on needle sizes. I often don't use
what someone says to use. I use what's handy to use. There's an EGA
certified teacher who swears no one should use less than a size 24
tapestry for counted work no matter the fabric count. But different
people have different types of motor skills and hand sizes. So the
thing to keep in mind with needles: the eye, once threaded, should have
about 30 - 40% space left for the thread to comfortably fit. Too much
room and you'll be fighting to keep it threaded. Too little room and
the thread gets ravaged. I have a customer who uses miliners for
quilting because she has large hands. What you read is simply
"guidelines", not absolutes. Use what works for you - and the thread.

--
Brenda

Well this will be french knots with one strand. What would you suggest?